Tuesday, September 17, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM CEST

– (Open Micro Grid Project of Korea Electric Power Corporation) A microgrid is an eco-friendly local energy grid with control capabilities, which means it can be connected to external grids, or operate autonomously. KEPCO has successfully completed a microgrid demonstration project in Gasa Island and Sinan districts that harness renewable energy resources in convergence with ESS.

– (RIGRID – Rural Intelligent Grid Project) The planning of net zero energy system (NZES) requires a holistic view. All energy forms need to be considered simultaneously. A new planning tool for NZES is based on the multi-energy system (MES) concept. It considers three main criteria: energetic, economic and social.

Speakers:

Mr. Kim, HyungSu (Korea Electric Power Corporation) Mr. Bartlomiej Arendarski (Fraunhofer Institute).

Highlights of 2018 include:

• ISGAN’s activities during the Nordic Clean Energy Week and the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM9)
  • Workshop and high-level panel discussion on the Acceleration of Smart Grid deployment through innovative market design
  • Side event concerning Perspectives on Smart Energy Storage Systems
• Highly recognized public workshops in course of the programme of the ExCo meetings:
  • Public workshop on Smart Energy for Smart Cities, Newcastle, Australia, as part of the Newcastle Smart City Strategy (ExCo15, Newcastle)
  • 8th International Conference on Integration of Renewable and Distributed Energy Resources IRED2018 (ExCo16, Vienna)
• Thematic knowledge exchange projects (KTP): During ExCo16 in Vienna, a KTP workshop on KPIs in Public Support took place. A Summary of the event was published.
• Award of Excellence:
  • 4th ISGAN Award of Excellence (FY2018) focusing on Flexibility: Award ceremony took place during CEM9
  • 5th ISGAN Award of Excellence (FY2019) focusing on Local Integrated Energy Systems (Smart Microgrids) was launched at CEM9
• Bimonthly webinars organized by the ISGAN Academy and co-hosted by the Clean Energy Solutions Center
• Publication of several discussion papers, event summaries and policy briefs.
• Collaboration and co-operation with other IEA networks and CEM initiatives.

Monday, July 29, 2019 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM CEST

The webinar will introduce the physics of Dynamic Line Rating (DLR), and calculation methods based on CIGRE and IEEE standards. Various approaches are discussed: direct measurement technologies (sensors) as well as (weather) model-based simulations. We describe applications implemented by grid operators for some years already. These illustrate how DLR data have been integrated into grid operators’ tools and processes, in particular how forecasts are used.

Furthermore, some analytics will be share that demonstrate the benefits of DLR for reducing OPEX and CAPEX. This includes examples on increasing cross-border trading, reducing investment on new line infrastructure and reducing congestions, which helps to make decisions on reinforcement and investment.

Speakers:

Jean-Louis Repetto (Ampacimon)                                  Rena Kuwahata (Ampacimon)

The project was part of a broader scope of activities ISGAN is undertaking along with partner organizations to advance international dialogue around good practices and new approaches for innovative market and power system design needed to catalyze smart grid investments.

The ISGAN Sandbox initiative included a number of mutually supporting activities, all designed to support capacity building, share international experiences and co-create ideas in regard to this relatively new but key topic for the future energy systems and smart grid community. The initiative built on the successful ISGAN Knowledge Transfer Project approach and involved a major interactive knowledge sharing workshop, held during the Stockholm Smart Grid week, in conjunction with the 17th ISGAN Executive Committee Meeting.

An ISGAN Academy Webinar is arranged on June 12th, 15.00 (CEST) to share and discuss the results of the project further.

Key project results include (see downloads below):

• ISGAN Policy Messages on Sandboxes to the Clean Energy Ministerial
• ISGAN Casebook including examples from seven countries: “Innovative Regulatory Approaches with Focus on Experimental Sandboxes”

For more information, please contact Magnus Olofsson, ISGAN Annex 2: magnus.olofsson@energiinstitutet.se

This represents an initial tangible outcome of the increased cooperation between the two initiatives as per the letter of intent signed on November 2018 in Rome, as well as the joint fact sheets on energy storage and flexibility options to be released at this event.

Under the framework of both CEM and IEA, ISGAN is an international platform for the development and exchange of knowledge and expertise on smart grids, carried by its member states. This workshop was a good opportunity to strengthen the cooperation between international ISGAN members and speakers and the ENTSO-E and E.DSO participants and moderators. The event offered also a great opportunity to disseminate the results of the ISGAN work to the Belgian smart grid community, get their feed-back on the results and to learn from their experiences.

Maarten Noeninckx, FPS Economy Belgium / ISGAN

Joni Rossi, RISE Sweden / ISGAN Annex 6

The workshop looked from various angels at recent developments and innovations which increase coordination and control of interconnected systems and markets on the global scale. The topical presentations and lively discussions contributed largely to ISGAN’s main objectives, namely to exchange knowledge and expertise and foster international cooperation in the field of smart grids amongst international organizations, national government, regulators, utilities, manufacturers and research institutes, all of which were well presented at the workshop.

Different representatives from European and international networks such as IEA, IRENA, EC DG Energy and Cigre opened the discussion by linking European policies (i.e. Clean Energy Package) to worldwide sustainability goals such as electricity access and clean air, broadening flexibility needs to all sectors of the energy system and stressing the importance of robust international cooperation and a stable CO2 price. A poll in the audience confirmed that one of the major challenges is the need for power sector investments in order to meet long-term goals and to reach high levels of electrification in buildings, transport and industry.

Yasmine Arsalane, IEA

Elaine O’Connell, European Commission

Emanuele Taibi, IRENA

Annex 6, ISGAN’s working group on ‘Power Transmission and Distribution Systems’, focuses on the application of advanced technologies needed for power grids to contribute in the best way to the attainment of clean energy and climate goals. During the interactive workshop, the conclusions of some recent ISGAN activities on power system flexibility, TSO-DSO interaction and a single marketplace for flexibility were disseminated and discussed. Several speakers gave valuable input for the kickoff of a new Annex 6 activity on ‘global versus local power systems’. In an interactive group discussion we tried to critically assess whether different trends (global versus local), that both aim at enable very high penetration of renewable energy sources, are totally independent or whether there are synergies or conflicts of interest between the two.

Antony Zegers, AIT Austria / ISGAN Annex 6

Irina Oleinikova, NTNU Norway / ISGAN Annex 6

The day was concluded by a visit to the control room of the regional security center CORESO, which was also the host of the day. It showed how the increased inter-TSO operational coordination was put in practice.

(see also: http://www.iea-isgan.org/innogrid2020/)

The large scale influx of variable generation is a challenge for the entire power system, especially in a context where large storage possibilities still remain economically unviable. Securing network stability becomes increasingly difficult because of increased volatility and growing numbers of unscheduled flows and the importance of existing paradigms seem to be fading. The electrification of society on the other hand adds to the socio-economic impact and the political sensitivity of a disruption of power supply. Policy makers and network operators therefore look at global grid solutions to better forecast and steer power flows:

• Technological options to increase their knowledge about the real-time status of their network (e.g. WAMS) and to manage power flows (e.g. FACTS, PSTs & HVDC)
• Increased coordination with other network operators, both at the TSO and DSO level.
• Improved modelling and forecasting tools for all relevant time horizons, as well as discussing alternative safety standards in order to improve system control and network planning
• Improved market design to attract the necessary system flexibility.

We also ask the question where there are limits of conflicts in the amount of interconnections and where there could be more need for local solutions, including small scale energy innovations and local market solutions that lead to the development of smarter local grids. From an international perspective we try to critically access whether these different trends (global versus local), that both aim at enable very high penetration of renewable energy sources, are totally independent or whether there are synergies or conflicts of interest between the two.

The International Smart Grids Action Network (ISGAN) has been focusing through Annex 6 (Power Transmission and Distribution Systems) on the application of advanced technologies needed for power grids to contribute in the best way to the attainment of clean energy and climate goals. In the interactive workshop  we will disseminate the conclusions of existing ISGAN activities on these topics, have presentations and discussions on innovative developments. This workshop should thus contribute to better focus the ISGAN activities in order for them to have impact on energy policy and ensure to deliver clear and relevant policy messages.

see also: http://www.iea-isgan.org/innogrid2020/

The week started with a full-day Knowledge Transfer Project (KTP) workshop on experimental sandboxes to enable Smart Grid deployment as well as a meeting with GSGF (Global Smart Grid Federation) and ISGAN members to strengthen future collaboration.

The international public workshop “The future of electricity markets in a low carbon economy” on Tuesday focused on international experiences and lessons learned in relation to several key aspects of power system transformation, market design and smart grid development.

Starting the official ExCo17 with administrative items, the ExCo members elected Maarten Noeninckx as new Vice Chair while re-electing Karin Widegren as Chair for a term of six months, and Russell Conklin as Vice Chair for two years. The Executive Committee was very pleased to welcome a new member, the United Kingdom, to ISGAN.

On the strategic side and continuous development of the ISGAN-TCP the need and opportunity of additional activities were explored. New tasks or even annexes on major emerging topics, for example digitalization, interoperability, energy as a service and sector coupling, might be established in the near future.

Another very important part of the meeting was the review of progress and strategic plans of all the Annexes.

Finally, the future communication strategy have been disuscussed. In particular, how to achieve ISGANs overall organisational objectives but also how to reach and engage with the public and private sector and to ensure that audiences understand the impact of ISGANs work and what ISGAN does.

The next ExCo meeting will take place in Montreux, Switzerland, September 30^th – October 4^th, 2019.

The objective of the project is to take concrete steps forward in regard to identifying key lessons learned and examples of good practice related to the design and implementation of regulatory sandboxes. With this knowledge countries are better placed to create conditions favourable to smart grid investment and deployment. This project is part of a broader scope of activities ISGAN is undertaking along with partner organizations to advance the international dialogue around good practices and new approaches for innovative market and power system design needed to catalyze smart grid investments.

As part of this initiative, ISGAN is gathering smart grid experts from the regulatory, policy making and research communities to participate in a deep-dive international dialogue taking place in conjunction with the ISGAN 17th Executive Committee meeting, during the Stockholm Smart Grid week, 1-5 April 2019.

To learn more, please contact Dr. Magnus Olofsson at magnus.olofsson@energiinstitutet.se.

Flexibility is the new keyword when we speak about a decarbonised energy system. It represents one of the most important requirements when we want to integrate variable renewables in the electricity networks without jeopardising its stability, and is a key element fostering the interaction among the different energy vectors (i.e electricity, gas, heat, water, etc.) towards an optimised overall balanced and resilient system. Understanding and implementing flexibility along the entire energy value chain is such a big challenge that international collaboration is vital to coordinate efforts and join forces and resources to accelerate the development and deployment of the adequate technology portfolios in time for the climate changes mitigation. The IEA, through its Energy Technology Network, is a key actor in this framework, leveraging the engagement and competences developed within its Technology Collaboration Programmes (TCPs).

Back to back to one of the IEA coordination meetings (namely that of the End-Use Working Party, in charge of the supervision of 14 TCPs), this workshop will present the state of the art and the progress of technologies and solutions to address and enhance the flexibility in sustainable energy systems, highlighting national initiatives and programmes and the contribution of Italian research and industrial activities within international collaborations.

(source: IEA EUWP workshop agenda)

Karin Widegren will speak at the INAUGURATION OF ISUW 2019 CONFERENCE about the relevance of Smart Grids and ISGAN.

The core objective of the International Smart Grid Action Network is to attain national, regional and global clean energy and climate goals supported by the integration of advanced technological, operational and analytical capabilities for electric power grids, including the smart management and coordination of the participants in the electricity system.

Karin Widegren will also participate at the Roundtable on Women in Energy and the Workshop on Future Skills 2030.

see also: http://www.isgw.in/

• leveraging expertise from governments, national laboratories and research institutions, transmission and distribution system operators, power generators, and other stakeholders from 25 countries from five continents
• engagement with leading private sector Smart Grid initiatives, the IEA Energy Technology Network, and other Clean Energy Ministerial initiatives to advance systems perspectives on power grids and grid integration
• implementing a range of activities to support a better global understanding of Smart Grids and the value they offer, address gaps in knowledge and tools, enhance peer-to-peer exchange, and otherwise improve international coordination

see also: https://eranet-smartenergysystems.eu/